Journal box



May 23, 1933.

R. J. BRITTAIN. JR, ET AL JOURNAL BOX Fild Nov. 5, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l Avvavmms,

May 23, 1933 R. J. BRITTAIN, JR, ET AL 3 5 JOURNAL BOX Filed NOV. 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII THEWA 7' TURNEK y' 3 R. J. BRITTAIN, JR., ET AL 1,910,513

JOURNAL BOX Filed. Nov. 5, 1950 3 SheetsSheet 5 Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD J. BRITTAIN, JR., OF IBLOOMEIELZD, AND OTTO W. YOUNG, OF EAST ORANGE,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHI- GAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE J' O'URN AL BOX Application flled November This invention relates to journal boxes and comprises all the features of novelty. herein disclosed. An object of the invention is to provide a journal box having improved means of retaining the bearing and simplifying manufacture. Another object is to provide a journal box having improved means of distributing and retaining,lubri-- 5, 1930. Serial No. 493,488.

pedestal flanges 30 covered by wear plates 32 and the sides. of the box are protected by wear plates 34.

The inner end of the box is closed by a sealing plate 36 having a flange 38 bolted to the box with a gasket interposed. On the outside, the sealing plate has an extension flange 40 bounding a peripheral drain groove cant and having a structure permitting easy 42 which is surrounded by a slinger 44 in the assembly and inspection.

To these ends and to improve generally and in detail upon devices of this character, the invention also consists in the various matters hereinafter disclosed and claimed. In its broader aspects the invention is not necessarily. limited to the specific construction selected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a journal box.

Fig. 2 is one-half end view and one-half central cross section to a smaller scale than Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a seal ing plate or ring.

Fig. 4 is an interior side View of the sealing plate.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the open end of the box.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section at the outer end of the box.

Fig. 9 is a rear view of the thrust block, enlarged.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional vie'wof the retaining ring and Fig. 11 is a rear view of the retaining ring.

The numeral 10 indicates a shaft or axle carrying a sleeve 12 for roller bearings 14 having cage rin s 16. The rollers run in an outer sleeve 18 1n the bore of an axle box 20. The top of the box has a cross recess receiving a lower seat plate 22 having holding lugs 24 entering cavities in the box, the seat plate also having upwardly extending lugs 26 which enter slots at the ends of an upper seat plate 28 carrying the load. The box has 11 form of an angled ring attached by screws to a wheel hub. Thus, water is effectively drained away from the box. On the inside of the box, the sealing plate has an arcuate extension 46 abutting against and locating one end of the bearing sleeve 18. The platealso has a relief groove 48 which extends around the upper half and terminates at vertical, flat extension walls 50. The groove receives surplus lubricant expelled axially from the rollers and drains it back into the bottom of the box. A hardened face 52 on the plate serves as a guide for the adjacent bearing race ring 16 and limits endwise movement of the rollers.

The sealing plate further has an arcuateinternal groove 54 merging at one side with an outwardly facing trap groove 56. A portion of the width of the groove 54 is provided with straight walls 58 extending downwardly I from axle level to terminate at the upperedges of openings 60 extendin through the sealing plate, the lower walls 0 the openings being formed by oppositely inclined surfaces 62 on a partition plate 64. The roove 54 is arranged directly outside of a lu ricant collecting and slinging rib 66 on the axle and lubricant, thrown off from the upper half of the axle, is trapped by the groove 56 and drained to the inclined surfaces 62. The inner end of the sleeve projects within the sealing plate to a point opposite to the groove 54 and forms an additional lubricant collecting and slinging rib. Suchlubricant and lubricant thrown from the low point of the axle is drained down the inclines, through the openings 60, and into the space 68 at the bottom of the box below the sleeve 18. The partition 64 revents oil surging about in the box from sp ashing up to the axle.

The outer. end of the box has an integral I Q 80. The retaining ring 1s cut away at the end wall 70 and an enlargement 71 forming a portion of a lubricant reservoir having a of the rin the reservoir to the axle.

filling opening 72. The outer'end of the box has at the top an inclined opening 7% closed by a detachablelid 7 6 of generally rectangular outline. A thrust block 78 opposes the end of the axle and is provided with a slot 7 9 for a wick 80 which elevates lubricant from The thrust block is referably made of bronze cast around a anged nut 82 which is externally square and internally threaded to receive a clamping screw bolt 84. The thrust block has a handle 86 by which it can be lifted out of the box through the opening 74 when the lid 76 and the bolt 84: are removed. Likewise removable through the lid opening are spacing plates 88 having hand holes 90. The clamping bolt 84; holds the thrust block and spacing plates rigidly a ainst a finished face on the box end wall 0. A portion of the thrust block is externally square or provided with interrupted fiat edges 91 which fit in a box recess formed by pairs of spaced lugs 92 and a bottom shelf 94, all caston the inner side of the end wall 70. The lugs 92 hold the thrust block from rotating and the shelf 94: prevents the thrust block and spacing plates from dropping out of reach when the screw bolt 8d is removed.

An important feature of the invention resides in a retaining ring which is located near the outer end of the box in a position to cooperate with the bearings and the wick. Beyond the bored out portion of the box are two arcuate abutment faces 96 which extend from the sides of the lid opening 7% to the lubricant reservoir. They abut against a pair of co-extensive arcuate ribs 98 on a ring 100 which fits in the bore of the box. One side has a portion abutting against and retaining the bearing sleeve 18 and another portion which is hardened to guide the adjacent cage ring 16 of the bearings. At their lower ends, the arcuate ribs 98 have a pair of upwardly extending lugs 102 and a pair of downwardly extending lugs 104: whose side walls are spaced apart to form a slot 106 embracing and supporting the wick bottom as at 108 to form a notch affording directcommunication between the lubricant reservoir and the bearings. At the top, there is an opening 110 for surplus lubricant to escape from-the bearings, this opening also serving as an inspection opening when the lid is removed. The ribs 98 are spaced apart at the top a distance approximately equal to the width of the opening 74 of the box so that they ofi'er no obstruction to the withdrawal of the thrust block. The ring is held from rotation by its lugs 104 which project downwardly and fit in a slot formed by the Vertical side walls of the enlargement 71. The interior of the box and its manufacture are ring fitting in the bore of the box and having a guide face on one side for the bearing, the other side of the ring having arcuate ribs engaging abutment faces on the box, the ribs being spaced apart at the bottom to form a slot for a wick, and a shaft-engaging wick in the slot; substantially as described.

,2. Tn a 'device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extending into, the.

box, a bearing between the shaft and the box,

a ring fitting'in the bore of the box and having a guide face on one side for the bearing, the other side of thering having arcuate ribs engaging abutment faces on the box, the ribs being spaced apart at the bottom to form a slot for a Wick, a Wick in the slot, a thrust block carried by the end wall of the box, the end of the box having an opening, and the ribs being spaced apart at the top for removal of the thrust block through the opening; substantially as described.

3. Tn a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extending into the box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, a ring fitting in the bore of the box and having a uide face on one side for the bearing,

the ot er side of the ring having a projecting rib engaging an abutment face on the box, and the ring having an opening near the top and an opening at the bottom affording communication between the bearing and the end of the box; substantially as described.

4. Tn a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extending into the box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, a ring fitting in the bore of the box and having a guide face on one side for the bearing, the other side of the ring having a projecting rib engaging an abutment face on the box, the ring having an inspection opening near the top, and the box having a lid covering an opening opposite to the ring opening; substantially as described.

5. Tn a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extending into the box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, a ring fitting in the bore of the box and having a guide face on one side for the bearing,

oa ers a bearing betweenthe shaft and the box, a

ring fitting in the bore of the box and hav-= ing a guide face on one side for the bearing,

the other side of the ring having arcuate journal box, a shaft extending into the box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, a ring fitting in the bore of the box and having a guide face on one side for the bearin the other side of the ring having arcuate ri s en gaging abutment faces on the box, the end of the box having an opening, a thrust blockcarried by the end wall of the box, and the ribs being spaced apart oppositeto said opening for removal of thethrust block; substan- 8. In a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extendingintothe box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, the end wall of the box having internally projecting lugs forming an upwardly open recess, a thrust block in said recess, the box having an opening above said recess for removal of the thrust guide ring fitting in the bore of the box between the bearing and the adjacent edge of the opening; substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character described, a

journal box, a shaft extending into the box,

a: bearing between the shaft and the box; a thrust block detachably secured to the end wall of the box, the box having an opening above said thrust block, and a bearing guide 1 ring fitting in the bore of the box and spaced from the end wall; substantially as described. I 10. In a device of the character described, a j ournalbox, a shaft extending, into the box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, the box having an integral end wall closing one end and a cylindrical bore extending to the open end, a ring inserted in the bore of the box through the open end to guide the outer end of the bearing, means on the box between the outer end of the cylindrical bore and the end wall to engage and hold said ring'spaced from the end wall, and a thrust block carried in the box at the outer side of the ring; substantially as described.

11. In a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extending into the box,

a bearing between the shaft and the box, a. ring secured to the box and having an extension projecting into the box towards the bearin g, said extension having a relief groove adjacent to the outerperiphery 0f the bearing, the ring having an internal collecting groove merging at the side with an outwardly facing trap groove and the ring having an extension outside the box and provided with an external drain groove; substantially as described. a

12. In a device of the character described,

block therefrom, and a bearing a journal box, a shaft extending into the box,v

a bearing and a bearing sleeve between the shaft and the box, a ring secured to the box and having an extension projecting into the box to engage the bearing sleeve, a guide face on the ring adjacent to the bearing, a relief groove between the guide face and the sleeve engaging extension, a slingeron the shaft, and the ring having an internal collecting groove adjacent to the slinger; substantially as described.

13. In a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft extending into the box, a bearing and a bearing sleeve between the shaft and the box, a ring secured to the box and having an extension projecting into the box toengage the'bearing sleeve, 9. guide face on thering adjacent to the bearing, and a relief groove between the guide face and the a bearing between the shaft and the box, a

ring secured to the box and havingan extension projecting into the box towards the bearing, said extension having a relief groove adjacent to the outer periphery of the bearing, the ring having an internal collecting groove, and the shaft carrying a bearing sleeve projecting within the ring and terminating at a point opposite to the internal groove to form a slinger; substantially as described.

15. In a device of the character described, a journal box having an "end wall and an opening, a shaft extending into the box, a bearing between the shaft and the box, the box having an abutment face spaced inwardly 'fromthe end wall, a ring fitting in the bore of the box at the end of the bearing and having projections spaced apart at thebox opening and engaging said abutment face, and a signatures. I

RICHARD J. BRITTAIN, JR. OTTO W. YOUNG. 

